Manufacture of rubber thread or the like



May 13, 1941. c. E. HERRSTROM ETAL 2,241,856

MANUFACTURE 0E RUBBER THREAD OR THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Shut 1 INVENTORS CHARLES E. HERRSTROM FRED J. SAMERDYKE lSa ATTORNEY y 1941- c. E. HERRSTROM ETAL 2,241,856

MANUFACTURE OF RUBBER THREAD OR THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHARLES E. HERRSTROM BYFRED J. SAMERDYKE ATTORNEY May 13, 1941.

C. E. HERRSTROM ETAL MANUFACTURE OF RUBBER THREAD OR THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY INVENTORS CHARLES E. HERRSTROM BY FRED J. SAMERDYKE .etc.

Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES" PATENT orr cs WACTUREgE THREAD R cimlee E. Herrstrom, Lakewood, and Fred J. I Samerdyke, Rocky River, Ohio, assignors to In. dustrlal Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application November 18, 1935, Serial No. 50,292

- Renewed July 19, 1939 This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for manufacturing threads, strips, tapes, bands, tubes and like article's, hereinafter referred to as thread or the like, of rubber or similar materials.

In manufacturing rubber thread or the like according-to the method commonly employed,

the thread or the likeis produced by extr'uding a dispersion of rubberin a liquid vehicle into a suitable coagulating. bath. The resulting thread or the like is passed throughany other bath or baths to the action of which it may be desired to subject the thread-or the like, as, for example, baths for performing such processing operations as dehydrating, hardening, applying accelerators, The thread or the like is then dried or vulcanized or both. vulcanization is accomplished in any one of several ways: the thread or the like may, for example, be vulcanized while being dried, it may be vulcanized after being dried, or it may be vulcanized under water, as may inany given case be expedient. Various modifications of these processes may be used; forinstance, the thread or the like may, if desired, be produced from a rubber solvent solution port the rubber thread orthe like. but complication ,of construction results. The rubber thread or the like is usually supported on guides or rollers as it travels through each bath, but

often the excessive tension induced by friction results in effects detrimental to the thread or the like, especially in the coagulating bath. As

' will hereinafter appear, the present invention eliminates these diihculties. I

. Briefly, the invention comprises continuously but temporarily storing the rubber thread or the like, preferably in the form "of one or more traveling helices, and, while it is thus stored,

applying to the thread or the like appropriate a relatively small area with consequent economy which coagulates upon,drying in air, in which case, the usual coagulating bath is not required. In the manufacture of rubber thread or the like according to these and similar methods, long periods of time are required for performing the various processing treatments. This is ordinarily provided for. by making the treating baths or chambers, as, for example, the coagulating bath, relatively long and by drawing the thread or the like therethrough at low speeds generally ranging from about 30 to about 40 ft. per-minute. Consequently, production speedis low, a large amount of floor space is required, and, if the baths are superposed one above the other, in an eflortto save floor space, complications in construction and difficulties in operating result.

their consequent large quantities of processing reagents and large radiating surfaces.

Another difliculty often arisesin connection with supporting or-conveying the rubber thread .or the like through the baths, because of the length of said baths and the consequent tension imposed on the long length of thread or the like as it is drawn through them. It has been proposed to provide conveyors in'the baths to supv Likewise, since the concentration, temperature, etc. of the processing reagents are often of importance, it

of floor space, greater ease of access, opportunity for more of the processing operation or opera tions', as well as other advantages. Obviously, the invention may assume any one of a large number of widely varying forms of which only a very few can be specifically described herein.

For purposes of illustration, but in'no sense of limitation, the invention will be shown and described as applied, in a limited number of embodiments thereof, to the manufacture of rubber thread from an aqueous dispersion of rubber such, for example, as latex. I In the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, Figure 1 is an elevation from line l- -l of Figure 2 of one embodiment of the invention as employed in the coagulation of rubber thread; Figure 2 is an elevation, with parts. in section, from the line 2-'-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlargedview of one 'form of thread-storage, thread-advancing device which may be used in the practice of the invention, parts being shown in elevation and other parts in section; Figure 4 is an elevation from line 44 of Figure 5 of another embodiment of the invention comprising a thread-storage,

another embodiment of the invention generally l 3 similar to that of Figure 6 comprising a series I of thread-storage'devices each of which is wholly Q submerged in its processing bath; Figure 9 is a 1 similar view of. still another embodiment ofthe 1 invention in which processing liquids are show- 1 ered on the rubber thread while it is stored on t a plurality of thread-storage devices; and Figure Q 10 is a sectional elevation from approximately line Ill-I of Figure 9 of a form of drying and/or l vulcanizing apparatus that may be used to .ad-

vantage in the practice of the invention;

' immersed in the bath, on which'therubber thread i l 1 take the form of. a-roller 6, may be provided to take the form of a rotatable reel of the type disposed alternately with those of member I, sup

the proper' construction and operation of. the

In Figures 1 and 2, the invention is shown as applied to the coagulation of rubber thread in a 3 coagulating bath.. The rubber thread I may be 1 formed in any desired manner, "as by projection of an aqueous dispersion of rubber by means of nozzle 2 into a suitable coagulating bath 3 con- 1 tained in the trough 4. The coagulant may be anyfliquid which either simply coagulates the 0 rubber'such, for example, as acetic acid, or which effects both osmotic dehydration and setting of the rubber thread, asflammoniu'm acetate. The rubber thread passes from nozzle 2 to a thread storage, threadadvancing device-5, shown partly may be continuously stored for a period long enoughto attain thedesired degree of coagulation, whichperiod is in part determined by the speed at which the, rubber thread is projected into the eoagulatingbath. The rubber thread may be withdrawn from the thread-storage device}: by any suitable means, as, for example, a subsequent thread-storage device, some form of collecting means, etc. A guide, which may guide the rubberthread from the thread-storage device 5. .Th'e thread-storage device 5 may'conveniently shown in enlarged section in Figure 3, the same beinga modification of the ,type of reel shown, described and claimed in an application of Walter I F. Knebusch, entitled Winding reel", Serial No. 552,089, filed January 16,1933 (Patent No. 2,210,- 914) On reel,.by the action of the elements of the reel during rotation thereof, the rubber thread may be continuously stored in a plurality of spaced helical turns which are advanced axially-of the reel. By suitable construction ofthe 5o reel,.any practicable length of rubber thread may thus be stored thereon in a relativelysrnall space without tangling orother difiicultie's- While on y, the reel, one or more processing treatments "may be applied to the rubber thread. v The reel illustrated in Figures 1,12v and 3 comprises two g'enerally' cylindrical sets of alternat-. ing bars.: Reel member 1,..which may be termed; the concentric member, is mountedwith its axis concentricwith. that of a shaft 9 and is composed of apluralityof longitudinal bars ll supported b spider. l2. Reel member 8, which mat be'termed the eccentric member, is mounted with itslaxis'offset andinclined to vtha'tof member land iscomposed of a plurality of bars I3,"

ported by the spider M. The barsin members! I and} are preferably equal 'in'number' and should preferably 'be as numerous as is consistent with,

reel. Eccentric member 8 may be rotatably supported in the' aforesaid oifset and inclined position'on member l5 by means of thebushing IS. The reel mechanism may be positively driven by I rotation of the shaft 9, which may be 'journaled ,end is freed a projecting driving shaft, which shown). Bracket 3i may be her I is attached for rotation, as by set screw l1.

Rotation of shaft 9 causes concentric member' 1 to rotate, whereupon contact of the bars ll of this member with bars l3 of the eccentric member 8 causes the latter member to rotate. The offset and inclined relationship of the two cylindrical reel members "I and 8 causes the thread, as it winds-yon the reel during rotation thereof, to form a plurality'of spaced substantially helical turns which progress axially along the reel, until they are discharged or otherwise taken off the reel, in a manner more fully described, in the aforesaid Knebusch application. This reel is open-ended in the sense that one feature provides convenience in threading up or starting the thread on the reel.

Any suitable means of mounting or driving the reel may be provided. In the embodiment shown,

the reel mechanism 5 is supported by the housing member l8, which supports boss member l5 and which is fastened, as by bolts 19, to the frame member 2|. Member 2| is provided with means, as the lugs 22, for mounting it on the frame 23 of the machine. The reel driving mechanism illustrated consists of a gear 24 mounted to rotate the shaft 9 and meshing with a gear 25 mounted for rotation with shaft 26. The shaft 25 may be journaled in member-2|, as shown, and maybe driven by gear 21 meshing with a gear 28 mounted on a drive shaft 29 connected .to a'suitable motor or other source of power (not provided to-s'upport the drive shaft 29.

In lieu of the thread-storage, thread-advancgenerally similar types 7 ing reel 5, other reels of may be employed.

The supportingmeans for which is extended the aqueous dispersion of rubber from whichis formed the rubber thread may be of the type illustrated comprising a tube 32,011 which the nozzle 2 is mounted, and a bracket 33 by means of which the position of the nozzle 2 may be adjusted in the bath with regard to the reel 5. The aqueous dispersion of rubber maybe supplied to the pipe 32 by a hose I 34 which may be connected to any suitable supply of the material. Preferably the aqueous dispersion of rubber is supplied under a constant pressure, as, for example, that of a constant head. 1 Another type of thread-storage device which maybe used to advantage in the pram-.ticeofthisv invention is that shown in Figures-4 and 5. This thread-storage device, designated 5a, isof sufficient length to permit the storing on its periphery of a plurality of separate rubber threads. The

device 5a is shownas disposedin thebath-I- with only the upper portion projecting therefrom. Each rubber thread I, after having been formed in any I suitable I manner, as by extrusion from a nozzle 2 into the coagulating bath acontained in, trough 4, passes to the thread-storage device at on which it. is continuously stored'for a suffi- .cient period, controlled inr part-kby the speed at f which therubber=thread is passed through the-" 1. bath, to obtain the desiredde'gree of coagulation- .Each rubber thread I is then withdrawn from T guided as by rollers G. Thread-storage device 5a is shown as a modifithe device by any suitable means, preferably cation of the generally similar reel'shown; de

scribed and claimed in said application of Walter F. Knebusch. The. reel 5a comprises two generally cylindrical sets of bars 1c and 8a, which the nozzle. 2 from p frame of the machine.

are supported with'their axes in ofis'et and'irlclined; relationship with each other. Member 1a,

which. may be termed the concentric member because. it, is mounted vwith its axis concentric with that of shaft 9c, is composed of a plurality ofbars Ila supported on spiders 121;, one at each of a plurality of bars |3a supported-.by spiders a, one for each end of the reel. Spiders Ma are rotatablysupported in the aforesaid offset and inclined relationship on the' members Ilia, which members 15a are so formed that the axes of the cylinders formed by the surfaces on, which the spiders are supported are in the desired offset and inclined relationship with the axes of the shaft 9a. "Shaft 90 may be journaled in the member i5a or otherwise supported in the correct position with relation thereto.

The ree1 5a is adapted to be positively drivenby rotation of the shaft 9a which causes member Ia fixed to it to rotate also. Contact of the bars lid of this member:v with the alternately disposed bars I 341 of member 8a causes the latter torotate. This rotation of the reel, in conjunction with the offset and inclined relationship of the axes of. the members is and 8s, causes the rubber thread to wind on the reel and form a plurality of spaced helical turns, which progress axially of the reel, until taken off, in a manner more fully described in the aforesaid Knebusch application. Shaft 9a: may be positively driven from one end by some vmeans, such as that shown, which is similar to for some other liquid processing treatment, as the superficial application of asolution or suspension of a migratory accelerator; the succeed- I ing device 39' may be devoted either to drying or to the first step of a dry'vulcanizing process; and the next device 40 to either dry vulcanizing or to the completion of the drying initiated on device 39, the rubber thread Ii finally'passing to the suitable collecting device 42.

The rubber thread i is shown as being formed by extrusion of a dispersion of rubber, such as latex, from a nozzle 2 into a suitable coagulating bath 3 contained in the trough 4!, the'incompletely coagulated thread being stored temporarily on the reel 5, disposed at least partly in the coagulating bath. The invention is not restricted,

however, to the manufactured rubber'threads formed by extrusion into a coagulating bath: the thread'may be formed in -any other suitable manner, as by dry spinning, inwhich case it will not require the use of a coagulating liquid. Each of the reels devoted to the wet processing of the thread; namely, reels 5, 31 and 38, is shown as virtually completely immersed in separate baths of pro'cessingliquid. They may, of course, be

. disposed in any other relationship to these baths.

Any suitable means formounting and driving the reels may be provided, as that shown, which a is similar to that of theembodiments of Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. A pipe to supply fresh reagents and a drain pipe 44 to drain the reagent in the trough ,4 and-keep the bath level constant may be provided for each bath. Each pipe 44 may, if desiredybe connected to a sewer, or, in

conjunction with its corresponding pipe 43, to a recirculating, makeup, or recovery system;

the driving and mounting means illustrated in the embodiments of Figures 1, 2 and 3.' The other end of the shaft 9:; is freely rotatably' mounted on member 15a of the bracket 35. which may be supportedas shown, by member 36 of the In lieu of thread-storage, thread-advancing reel is, other reels of generallysimilar types may be employed.-

The thread-storage, thread-advancing reels ,of the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 5,.

inclusive, are shown immersed for a greater, pontion of their diameters. It is obvious that the reels may be either more or less deeply immersed;

in fact, they maybe'either entirelysubmerged or entirely free of the baths, in which latter. case 7 the processing liquid may be showered on the similar to those described, on each ofwhih a suitable processing treatment is appliedto the rubber thread. While for convenience five reels are shown, any desired number of processing.

treatments may be'employed. Thus, for instance, the first thread-storage, thread-advancing reel 5 may be used for coagulation of the rubber thread: the following reel 31 may be used for washing of the rubber thread; the next reel 38 may be used mbodying the invention .is

Chambers and 46, which surround the'reels 39 and 40, may bedevoted to such dry processing treatments of the rubber thread as drying or vulcanizingby means of suitable gaseous media, The chambers may be of any suitable design, such as those shown.v The front "wall "of chamber 45, together withvportions of the side walls 48 and 49,-is adapted to be swung up about hinges 5|, thus opening thechamber and providing acoess to the reel 39 for threading up, etc. Suitable slots 52,"whi'ch may belsimilar to that shown to better advantage in Figure ,10, are provided to permit the side walls tobe closed without interference with the rubber thread I after it has been started on the reel and is entering and leaving the chamber. The chamber 46 may be of asimi lar design,except that it may not be necessary to adapt portions of both side walls to be swung openwith the front wall if the thread passes out of the chamber through the bottom. asrhown. In this case, a slot 53 may be rovmedi ini the bottom of thechamber, partially closed by slip,

portion 54, extending from the lower end of the cover ll. Suitable means, such as pipes 55 and 56, for supplying and removing the processing ',medium may be provided for each chsmber.

f It is desirable to provide suitable guides, such a'stlie freely rotatable rollers 51 ,and 58 to guide the rubber thread as it leaves each of the preceding reels and starts on the next. With guide rollers of this type positioned as shown the open"- ended, feature of reels of this type is employed to advantagasince, the rubber thread can be started at the rear of each reel, as by roughly winding it around once or twice, after which, by

action of the reel elements during rotation, the rubber thread is caused to form spaced helical turns which progress toward the front of the reel where the free end of the rubber thread is discharged or otherwise taken off. The free end may then be readily led around the front of roller 51, diagonally'across and-around the roll or roller 58, and thence to the next reel where the procedure of starting, etc. may be repeated, and so on until all of the reels in the series have been threaded up. Once the rubber thread has been started, the machine may be runsubstantially continuously.

All bath troughs and dry processing chambers are, in the embodiment shown, designed to provide suflicient space between the reel and the walls of the trough or chamber for operating convenience.

Likewise, the frame 59 of the apparatus maybe made of a convenient height for operating purposes. The reels may be adapted to be driven by bevel gears 21 and 28 in the previously described manner, in which case the gears 28 may be mounted on a suitable drive shafit 29 common to all reels. Drive shaft 29 may be driven'by any suitable means, as a chain 6i driven by a speed reducer 62 connected to a motor 63. I

After being processed on an apparatus embodying the invention, the rubber thread I may, de-- pending on its intended use, he passed to suitable braiding or covering machines, where it may be covered with one or more layers 01. textile thread or fabric for use in textile manufacture, after which it may be collected in any suitable form; or

- belt 66 from the motor 63. A traverse guide 61 which may be actuated from a suitable cam rotated by theroller 85 or by the spool 42, causes the rubber thread I to be wound on the spool 42 with-anydesired lay. In collecting devices of this type, changes in tension of the rubber thread while winding due to the buildup of the thread on the spool are eliminated since the collecting spool 42 is rotated at constant peripheral speed.

An embodiment of the inventionin which the reels are entirely submerged in the liquid processing baths is shown in Figure 8. The rubber thread I may be produced in any suitable manner, as by the apparatus shown in broken -lines, wherein the thread is formed by extrusion from a nozzle 2 into a coagulating bath. Therubber thread may, if desired, be stored temporarily on the reel 5, which may be submerged in a coagulating bath, to allow sufiicient: period for coagulation of the rubber, afterwhich it passes to the first of a plurality of reels disposed in processing sequence. Three wet processing reels 68, 69 and 10, all completely submerged in the processing baths, are shownfor the purpose of illustration.

rubber thread I is formed by extrusion from a nozzle 2 into a coagulating bath 3 and is'there be positioned in an oiIset relation similar to that of Figure 7 to take advantage or the open-ended feature of the reels. The rubber thread I, after leaving the last wet processing reel of Figure 8, may proceed to any suitable following device, such as a suitable drier or vulcanizing apparatus. In-

the bath troughs of this embodiment, as in that of Figures 6 and 7, reagent supply and drain pipes 43 and 44 may be supplied for each bath.

It is not necessary that the wet processing reels be submerged or even partly immersed in the bath. In Figure 9 is illustrated another embodiment of the invention in which the processing reagent is applied to the rubber thread on each of the wet processing reels I4 and 15 by means of the reagent distributor I6 supplied by pipe Tl.

. The reagent is thusshowered down onthe reel below and may be collected in a trough 18 below the reel, from which it may drain as by pipe 19. Partitions 8i between the reels, as well -as partitions 82 at'the backs of the reels l4 and 15, may be provided to prevent splashing, etc. Otcourse,

any desired number of similar wet processing reels may be used, depending on the treatments that it may be desired to apply to the rubber thread, the two shown here being presented merely for the purpose oi illustration. 7

In this embodiment, the rubber thread I, which is supplied from any suitable source such as the ap aratus shown in broken lines in which the after stored for the purpose of coagulation on a reel 5 at least partly immersed in the bath, passes showered down to the.thread stored thereon.

' Any desired wet processing treatments may be administered on reels of this'type, such, for instance, as washing on reel 14 and'the application of a suitable accelerator on reel I5. The thread may subsequently be dried, after which it may be vulcanized in any desired manner or it may be dried on any suitable apparatus. The apparatus illustrated, comprising reel 83'and chamber 46 is V adaptable to either drying, vulcanizing, or both.

With this apparatus, shown in larger section in Figure 10, the reel 83 may be of the same type as previously describedfth-at is, composed of two generally cylindrical cage-like sets of bars I and 8, which are positioned in an ofiset and inclined as uniformity of treatment of the thread, etc.-

result. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the drive shaft 9b 01 the reel is made hollow and is supplied as by pipe 84 with the drying or vulcanizingmedium. Holes 85 in that portion of the The reels submerged in the bath may be mounted and driven in any suitable manner, as, for instance, that shown in connection with the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7.

, Suitable guides, which may take the form of rollers 12, 13, may be provided to aid in the passage of thread from one reel to the succeeding reel. These rollers may be tilted, as shown, to

' support the rubber thread as it passes over the edges of the troughs, and if open-ended reels disposed in an arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 7 are employed, the guide rollers may shaft which extends into the interior of the reel provide communication with the interior of the reel. oil so as to divert the drying or vulcanizing mediumdi-rectly to the thread on the reel. This may be accomplished by the cover 86, which is sup- The outer end of the reel 83 may be closed inclined member 8, is supported by the longitudinal frame members 89. The reel is shown as driven by the gear 9| meshing with gear 92 mounted on a drive shaft 93 extending longitudinally of .the series of reels and from which the other reels may be driven in a similar manner. A

, bracket 94 supporting the drive shaft may be profor storing the thread or the like as it is processed,

- it may not be necessary to provide positive drivembodiments of Figures 6 and 7. This chamber is provided with a hinged front wall or cover 41' which, with portions of one or both of the side walls 48, 49, as is required, is designed to swing about the hinges 5|; through which the rubber thread passes may, as in the case of wall 48, be provided with a suitable curved slot 52 to accommodate the thread. When the cover is swung open, the wall portion 48 swings with it and thus it is a simple matter to thread up the reel contained in the chamber, a guide such as roller 58 being provided to guide the thread on the reel. After the thread has progressed across the reel, the free end is then ledout of the chamber, in this case through a slot 53 in the bottom of the chamber. Cover 41 The side wall or walls is swung shut, the slot 52 eliminating any interference between the thread I and the wall as of the slot 52 may be closed by an extending portion 91 which also providese'strength, while slot 53 in the bottom of the chamber may be closed by the extending portion 54 of the front cover. Latch means 98 may be provided to keep the cover in place. A pipe 56 to allow the gaseous medium to escape from the chamber may also be provided.

While a chamber enclosing the reel may not be necessary for drying or dry vulcanizing, if some medium which is inexpensive or not necessarily desirable to recover, such as heated air, is used, it is often desirable, even with such a medium, to confine the space about the reel as.to intensify the action of the drying or vulcanizing medium.

' With a chamber such, for instance, as that shown enclosing the reel, this effect may be obtained; in addition, recovery of the drying or vulcanizing medium is made possible if desired. Obviously, of course, various other types of chambers or enclosures may be provided to accomplish the same results.

It is desirable to the proper operation of the apparatus to. keep the rubber thread or the like under a slight tension as it is being processed. This can be accomplished by increasing the peripheral speeds of subsequent reels over the peripheral speeds of preceding reels, as by changing the ratios of the drive gears .or by constructing the reels so that the diameter of .the reel increases as the rubber thread or the like progresses across it. The reels may, if desired, be operated so that no tension results. In either case, an advantage is obtained over the ordinary system of manufacturing'rubber thread or the like in that the excessive tension caused in ordinary practice by drawing the rubber thread or the like through long baths and/or over numerous supporting guides. is entirely eleminated. If a reel of a type similar to those described is used ing means for the reel, since this type of reel can perform. its thread-advancing function while being rotated by the thread 'or the like as it is drawn off the reel.

While the invention has been described in connection with the use of thread-storage, threadadvancing devices of the type of substantially circular reels, it is not limited tq this type of thread-storage device. Whereas the thread-storage device described consists broadly of two generally cylindrical members with their axes inclined and slightly offset, it is obvious that the axes of the two cylindrical members may be offset at a considerably greater distance, even at a great enough distance so the peripheries of the two cylindrical members. are entirely separated, in

which case also a thread-advancing, thread-storage function is performed. The terms helical," substantially in the form of a helix, traveling helix, advancing helices, etc., which are applied, in the appended claims, to the form in which the rubber thread or the like is stored, are intended to apply to this typeof device also. However, a unitary thread-storage, thread-advancing device on which the rubber thread or the like is advanced in substantially the form of a traveling helix is, preferable and any device that accomplishes this function may be used in the practice of this invention. I

A plurality of threads or thread-like articles can, if desired, be processed on thread-storage,

thread-advancing devices ofthe open-end type I herein shown by making suitable modifications in the construction thereof and the apparatus in which the same are employed, but the number of. threads or thread-like articles which it is possible to treat on thread-storage, thread-advancing devices of this'type is naturally somewhat limited.

Likewise, relatively long thread-storage, thread-' advancing 'devices such, for instance, as that shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the present applies-'- tion,.may be used, by suitable modification of the apparatus, in any embodiment of theinvention or for any processing treatment, in'which case several threads arranged as illustrated in Figure 4 may be accommodated simultaneously. I! desired, however, a plurality of processing ope!"- ations may be performed on a single thread or thread-like article on such a thread-storage,

.age, thread-advancing device to another.

The invention is applicable to the processing of rubber threads or the likeno matter how they are produced, for while it has particular applicability to the processing of rubber threador the like produced continuously, as by extrusion, it may also, be applied to the processing of rubber threads or the like produced by cutting processes. These latter types of rubber threads, which are commonly produced in lengths of approximately 600 feet, may be tied end to end, if desired, and subjected to any suitable processing treatment according to this invention. While the invention may be applied to the processing of rubber threads or the like of large or fine gauge, it is particularly useful in the processing of rubber threads or the like of fine gauge which, because of their delicacy, are difiicult to handle. Such, for instance,- are the rubber threads used in the manufacture of fabric covered elastic yarns of fine gauge which are used in the textile industry.

Accurate control over the processing treatments administered to the rubber threads or the like is also made possible by the invention. Since a relatively large quantity of thread is stored in a small space, a relatively small amount of reagent is required to be used at one time; wherefore the reagents can easily be controlled as regards such properties as concentration, temperature, etc. For instance, the temperature of a processing bath in which a-thread-storage device on which the rubber thread or the like is temporarily stored is at least partly immersed may be readily controlled by means of heating pipes, such as steam pipes immersed in-the-bath, since the volume of the bath is small and compact.

Control over the properties of the dry reagents I is also facilitated by this invention.

Since the'sp'eed at which the rubber thread or the like is'processed is mainly a function of the time during which the thread or the like is to be tion provides means for increasing the speed of processing in that, more rubber thread may be exposed to the processing treatment in a given period of time than has heretofore. been practicable. This may be accomplished by constructing the thread-storage, thread-advancing device so that. a sufiiciently large quantity of rubber thread or the like may be stored thereon, or by devoting two ormore thread-storage,thread-advancing dev'lces in succession to the same treatment, which can readily be'done because of the space saving effected by the invention.

Thus, for instance, in the production of rubber thread or the like by some continuous process, as by the extrusion of latex into the coagulating bath, the rate of coagulation has been a factor in determining the speed of production of the thread; Long coagulatingbaths have heretofore been required. To prevent the length of the bath from becoming excessive'and to prevent excessive stresses in the incompletely coagulated thread or the like due to drawing long lengths through the bath, the thread or the like has usually been without an increase in tension, either by storing it on one thread-storage, thread-advancing de-- exposed to the processing treatment, the invenvice or on a plurality of such devices, the thread or the like being at least partly immersed in or otherwise subjected to the coagulating liquid.

If one'or more devices on. which the rubber thread or the like is being coagulated is used, it is possible to subject the thread or the like immediately after forming to the action of a strong coagulating liquid on the first thread-storage device, and to the action of weaker liquids on succeeding thread-storage devices, or vice versa, in which cases beneficial results maybe obtained. In. a similar manner, a plurality ofthreadstorage, thread-advancing devices may be devoted to the drying or vulcanizing of the rubber thread or the like, in which latter case, complete continuous vulcanization of the thread may be attained. Because of this control over the various processing treatments made possible by this invention, rubber thread or the like of a superior type may be produced.

As examples of processing treatments which may be applied to the thread or the like according to this invention there have been mentioned coagulation, washing, the application of accelerators, as well as drying and vulcanizing. The vulcanizing may be accomplished by means of gas; for example, ammonia,steam or air, or by'a wet method, .as by vulcanizing under water, all

of which may readily be accomplished by the employment of thread-storage. thread-advancing devices according to this invention. It may be desired to dye the thread or, the like by immer sion or dipping, which can readily be accomplished. For instance, a commercial dye in an organic solvent, such as benzol, carbon tetrachloride, etc., may be used, an example being 0.1% oil yellow, a mono azo dye, dissolved in naphtha.

Likewise it is possible to incorporate in the rubbar the leuco base of a vat dyestufi. as by compounding it in the latex if the thread is to beformed therefrom, and to develop the color by exposing the. rubber thread or the like to the action of a suitable oxidizing agent while stored on a thread-storage, thread-advancing device according to this invention. The invention is particularly advantageous in performing such processing treatments in. that, great uniformity in result is obtained because of the aforementioned control over the reagents. Other processing treatments to which the invention is applicable will readily 'sembling rubber; and rubber-like natural materials, such, for example, as balata, gutta percha and the like. The term thread or the like is to be understood to include threads, bands, ribbons,

tapes, tubes, and like articles. The term dispersion of rubber in-a liquid vehicle is intended to include coagulable liquid dispersions of these various rubber materials as for example, natural and artificial latices, other natural and artificial dispersions of these and like rubber materials, and solvent solutions or suspensions thereof, all treat ed or compounded as desired. Such dispersions may be of normal strength, diluted, concentrated, compounded, or purified, alias known and practiced in the art.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention. y

We claim:

1. The process of continuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like comprising the steps of continuously forming the thread or the like by extruding through a spinning nozzle immersed in a coagulating bath a coagulable dispersion of rubber in a liquid vehicle; continuously but temporarily advancing the thread or the like in the period of time upon a substantial length of the thread or. the like but with the thread or the like meanwhile occupying only a comparatively small space; subjecting the thread or the like in such helical form to the actionof a processing medium; and thereafter collecting the processed thread or the like. I v r c 2. The process of continuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like defined in claim 1 in which the thread or the like, while being continuously but temporarily advanced in the form of a traveling helix made up of a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, is subjected to the action of heat.

3. The process of continuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like defined in claim 1 in which the thread or the like, while being continuously but temporarily advanced in the form of a traveling helix made up of a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, is sub- Jected to a vulcanizing operation.

4. The process of continuously manufacturing I rubber thread or the like comprising the steps of continuously forming the thread or the like by extruding through a spinning nozzle immersed in a coagulating bath 'a coagulable dispersion of rubber in a liquid vehicle; continuously but temporarily .advancing the partially 'coagulated thread or the like in the form of a traveling helix rubber in a liquid vehicle; continuously but 'temporarily advancing the partially coagulated thread or the like in the form a traveling helix made up of a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, whereby an opportunity is provided for performing a processing operation over a relatively long period of time upon a substantial length of the thread or the like but with the thread or the like meanwhile occupying only a comparatively small space; subjecting the partially coagulated thread or the like to the action of a hardening medium, thereby causing it to set while free from tension imposed by the weight of the thread or the like; and thereafter collecting the thread or the like.

6. The process of continuously manuiacturing rubber thread or the like comprisi g the steps of continuously forming the thread I the like by extruding from a spinning nozzle into an evaporative atmosphere a rubbersolvent solution which tends to coagulate in the air; continuously but temporarily advancing the thread or-the like in the form of a traveling helix made up of' a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, whereby an opportunity is provided for performing a processing operation over a relatively long period of time upon a. substantial length of the thread or the like but with the thread or the like meanwhile occupying only a comparatively small space; subjecting the thread or the like in such helical form to the actionof a processing medium; and thereafter collecting the processed thread.

7. The process of continuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like defined in claim 6 in which the thread or the'like, while being continuously but temporarily advancedin the form of a traveling helix made up of a large number .jected to the action of heat.

8. The process ofconti'nuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like defined in claim 6 in which the thread or the like, while being continuously but temporarily advancedin the form of a traveling helix made up of a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, is subjected to a vulcanizing operation.

' 9. The process of continuously manufacturing rubber thread or the like comprising the steps of continuously forming the thread or the like by extruding from a spinning nozzle into a coagulant a coagulable dispersion of rubber in a liquid vehicle; continuously but temporarily advancing the thread or the like in the form of .a traveling helix made up of a large number of closely spaced, generally helical turns, whereby an opportunity is provided for performing a processing operation over a relatively long period of time upon a substantial length of the thread or the like butwith the thread or the like meanwhile occupying only a comparatively small space; subjecting the thread or the like in such helical form to the-action of heat; and thereafter-collecting the thread or the like.

CHARLES E. HERRsTRoM; FRED J. SAMIEBDYKE. 

